1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device that prevents the rotation and removal of a tire and wheel of a motorized or unmotorized vehicle. Such devices are generally used for two purposes, firstly as a deterrent to theft of the vehicle or the tire and wheels, and secondly as a means to impound the vehicle on the spot.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various devices have been introduced to prevent the movement and removal of vehicle wheels. As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,477 issued Aug. 2, 1994 to Phillip Davis describes a lightweight, vehicle immobilization device having a hub shield, an adjustable arm, an upper arm and a lower arm. Each of said arms has ends which are adapted to traverse the tread of the tire.
A disadvantage of this device is the inability to conveniently store it when not in use. The ends of the upper, lower and adjustable arms can not be retracted so that the device can lie flat. This prevents compact storage in, for instance, the trunk of a car.
Another disadvantage of this device is the use of rivet style hinge points that are prone to tampering.
A further disadvantage of this device is the inability to adjust the position of the hub shield with respect to the lug nuts either in the direction of the wheels axis or along the wheel's plane. This limits the use of this device with the myriad of wheel and tire shapes and sizes present on the roads at any time.
Yet another disadvantage of this device is the destructive nature of the device towards the tire of the wheel when an attempt is made to move the vehicle while the device is engaged. In such an attempt, a spike punctures the tire and deflates the pressure. When a single device immobilizes a vehicle a punctured tire may impede the effectiveness of the device.
And lastly, earlier devices of this type have generally been relatively difficult to install.